Electromagnetic device



June 17, 1958 Q L. 'A. RICE 2,839,746

ELECTROMAGNETIC DEVICE Filed Aug 20, 1956 I, U 0 92 76 .j' E .0

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18 9 6 INVENTOR.

Lyman A. Rice i I H/'. Attorney hired States Patent 2,839,746 ELECTROMAGNETIC DEVICE Application August 20, 1956, Serial No. 604,914 I 7 Claims. (Cl. 340-388) This invention relates to sound signals and is more particularly concerned with a mounting arrangement for a relay which controls the operation of a. horn of the electomagnetic type as used in motor vehicles.

Horns of the electromagnetic vibratory type are usually energized through a power circuit which includes a-"horn relay and a switch for controlling the operation of the horn relay. When this arrangement is employed, the large currents which are necessary to cause the successful operation of the horn are carried by the relay and the control of this current is accomplished at some remote point by a simple switch which has a relatively low current carrying capacity. "Heretofore, the relays used in these circuits have beenprovided as separate units which considerably increased the cost of the horn system and also complicated the installation thereof.

It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to eliminate the requirement of a separate relayin a horn 7 system and to incorporate'the essential'parts of therelay within the horn structure so as to reduce the components required in the horn circuits and to simplify the installation when the horn system is installed in a vehicle. It is a further object of the present invention to mount the electromagnetic coil, the circuit breakerhand electromagnetic coil of a relay of a. horn on a common base and to attach a diaphragm for the hornto the base so the base and diaphragm will provide an enclosure for both coil windings and the circuit breaker.

Another object of the present invention is to provide 4 a novel horn structure which includes a cup-shaped base which has adiaphragm attached thereto to form an enclosure wherein an electromagnetic for vibrating the diaphragm, a circuit breaker'and a horn relay are' included with the base providing asupport for the horn relay and the diaphragm providing a stop for limiting the movement of an armature of said relay. i

A still further object of the present invention is to construct and arrange the parts of a horn so the relay may be included in the enclosure provided by a flexible diaphragm and a cup-shaped base which relay has its coil windings attached to the base and its armature movement limited by the diaphragm. V 7

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown. 1

In the drawings: a

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a horn embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the various parts of the horn taken along line 2-4 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3--3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view in the direction of arrows 44 in Figure 3.

' In the drawings, the born 20 has a sound projector 22 similar to that disclosed in Patent 2,677,875 which has thereto.

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been assigned to the assignee of the present invention. As in most horns of the type herein shown, the air column of the sound projector is vibrated at a predetermined frequency by a diaphragm 24 which is separated from a flange 26 on the projector by a washer 28. The diaphragm 24 is secured between the flange 26 and a flange 30 on a base 32 by a plurality of bolts or rivets 34.

The base 32 is preferably formed of stamped metal to have three coaxially aligned, aXially spaced bores of decreasing diameter Which are defined by the annular walls 36, 38 and- 40. The wall 36 is connected with Wall 38 by a flat wall 42 which is substantially parallel to and spaced from the diaphragm 24 and the flanged portion 30. The walls 38 .and 40 are interconnected by a flat wall 44 which is parallel to Wall 42 and spaced from the diaphragm 24. When the base 52 is thus formed, the walls 38 and 44 will define a chamber 46. This chamber 46 forms a well in wall 42 and is interconnected with a chamber 48 as defined by walls 36 and 42. The walls 40, which form the smallestbore, are internally threaded.

Positioned within chambers 48 and 46 is an electromagnet assembly 50 and a circuit breaker assembly 52, which are completely described in application S. N. 548,348, filed November 22, 1955. This application has been assigned by the inventor to the assignee of the present invention. The electromagnetic assembly Sitincludes an electromagnetic coil Winding 54 and an armature 56.

The armature 56 is secured to the diaphragm 24 and is arranged to vibrate the diaphragm whenever the coil winding-54 is energized. The coil winding 54 which is received in chamber 46 is provided with a pair of leads 58 and 60. The lead 58 is connected to the circuit breaker assembly 52. .The lead 60, in turn, is connected to the ,base of the stationary contact 62.

The stationary'contact 62 is part of the horn relay 64 whichis'rnore clearly shown in Figure 4 which will now be described.-

The core 76 is in electrical contact with support 68 as shown in Figure 3. This core 76 is preferably riveted over a terminal 7% which may be connected to a suitable source of electric current as a storage battery. The coil winding 30 of'the relay 64 has one end electrically connected to the core76. The other. end 82 of core winding-Sll isconnected through the rivet 34 with a terminal not shown. The rivet 84 is also insulated from the wall 42. The terminal, secured by rivet 84, is preferably connected through the horn button switch, not shown, to ground, so the closing of the horn button switch will cause the relay coil winding 36 to be energized and attract the armature 66.

The armature 66 is electrically connected with support 68 by a leaf spring 86 which permits the armature to vertically move relative to core 76. A flexible support 88' on the free end of armature 66 supports a movable contact 90. This contact 96 is aligned with the stationary contact 62 for engagement therewith'wh'enever coil winding is energized. As clearly seen in Figures 2 and 4, the stationary contact 62 is electrically connected with a clip 92 and a terminal96. The clip 92 provides a securernent for the lead end 60 of the coil winding 54. The terminal 96 is provided so that a wire from the coil windings of another horn, not shown, may be connected When this arrangement is utilized, a pair of horns may be simultaneously opera-ted and controlled by a single horn relay 64 which is carried internally in only one of the horns.

in full lines as energized. When the relay is deenergized, the upward movement of the armature 66 is limited by a stop 98. This stop 98 is shown in dotted lines as engaging the diaphragm 24 to limit the upward travel of the armature 66. The stop preferably is formed of a suitable insulating material which will withstand Wear and shock, an example of which is nylon.

From the above, it is manifest when the horn button of the vehicle is depressed, the current will flow from the storage battery of the vehicle to terminal 78 into both the core 76 and the support 68. The current through the core will flow through coil winding 80, lead 82, rivet 84 to a terminal, not shown, which is connected to'the battery through the horn button. This will complete the circuit to the coil Winding 80 and energize the relay 64 to cause contacts 90 and 62 to close. When contacts 90 and 62 are engaged, a circuit from support 68 through parts 86, 66 and 88- to either the clip 92 or the terminal 96 will be completed and the horn electromagnct will be energized. When the pressure on the horn button is released, the circuit to coil winding 80 Will be broken and the leaf spring 86 will cause the armature 66 to move upwardly so bumper 98 will engage diaphragm 24.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In an electric horn, the combination comprising; a cup-shaped base having a rim and a substantially flat bottom wall, a diaphragm mounted on said rim and spaced from said wall to provide an enclosed chamber with said base, an electromagnet coil winding for moving said diaphragm, a circuit breaker for controlling current flow through said electromagnet coil winding and a horn relay each mounted directly on said base and disposed within said chamber.

2. In an electric horn having a base and a diaphragm carried by said base arranged to provide an enclosed chamber therewith, the combination comprising; an electromagnet for vibrating said diaphragm, a circuit breaker for controlling current flow through said electromagnet and a relay for controlling current flow through said electromagnet and circuit breaker each directly carried by said base and disposed within said chamber.

3. In an electric born, the combination comprising; a base having a bottom wall and a peripheral flange spaced from said wall, a flexible diaphragm carried by said flange and arranged to provide an enclosed chamber with said base, an electromagnet having an armature secured to said diaphragm and a coil winding carried by said wall, and a relay for said horn having a coil winding carried by said wall and a movable armature limited in its move- 4. In an electric horn, the combination comprising; a cup-shaped base having a substantially flat bottom wall and a peripheral flange spaced from said bottom wall, a flexible diaphragm carried by said flange and spaced from said wall to provide an enclosed chamber with said cupshaped base, a relay for said horn having; an electromagnetic coil winding assembly carried by said wall, a stationary contact carried by said base, an armature movable by said electromagnetic coil winding, said armature being carried by said coil winding assembly and limited in its movement by said stationary contact and said diaphragm.

5.-In an electromagnetic horn, the combination comprising; a cup-shaped base having a substantially flat bottom wall, a flexible diaphragm carried by said base forming an enclosed chamber with said Wall base, a well in said bottom wall, an armature carried by said diaphragm, an electromagnetic coil winding disposed in said well and arranged to flex said diaphragm, and a horn relay having an armature and an electromagnetic coil Winding disposed within said chamber with the coil winding carried by said Wall and the armature limited in its movement in one direction by said diaphragm.

6. In an electric horn, the combination comprising;

I a cup-shaped base having a substantially flat bottom wall,

' a flexible diaphragm attached to. said base in spaced relation to said wall, a well in said wall, an electromagnetic coil winding disposed in said well, an armature attached to said diaphragm arranged to be moved when said electromagneticcoil winding is energized and a means including a relay positioned between said diaphragm and base for controlling the energization of said coil winding, said relay including a stationary contact supported by said base and an armature that has its movement in one direction limited by saiddiaphragm. 7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,018,479 Zeininger Oct. 22, 1935 2,155,366 Scofield Apr. 18, 1939 2,204,705 Scofield June 18, 1940 White Nov. 10, 1942 

